what I'm reading in April

This is a little silly, but my favorite day of every month is the last one, because I sit down and set my TBR list for the following month. Do most people hyper-organize their reading like that? Probably not, but here we are.

I read 10 books in March, which is less than I had hoped to read, but two of the books were quite large and one of them was a long audiobook – so, I'm calling it a win.

[ my march tbr + february recap ]

This month there was only one day all month where I didn't read at all. For all of you who might post below and ask me how I read so much, a big part of it has to do with making time to read every. single. day. I read at night before I go to bed, I even block that hour off on my calendar. I also always have a book in my purse or on my phone's Kindle or Nook apps as well as an audiobook loaded to my Audible app, so I am never without a story.

What I read in March

• FALLING KINGDOMS by Morgan Rhodes. ⭐️⭐️ This was not my favorite. It was OK, not bad, but not good. FALLING KINGDOMS is the first in a fantasy series I have been really wanted to read, and even though I didn't enjoy this one – things were very scattered, and the pacing was off, and the characters were absurd at some points and totally dull at others – I'll keep pushing so I can read the later books, which are supposed to be far better.

• THE YOUNG QUEENS by Kendare Blake. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I was destined to not like this very much because it was a novella, not a novel, in a series I've been reading and I am always so agitated by novellas – I think it's very much a money grab by an author to sell more books, less of an artistic / creative choice. 

• REBEL SPRING by Morgan Rhodes.  ⭐️⭐️ Like I said, the sequel to the book above was much better than FALLING KINGDOMS, so I'm glad I didn't drop the series after the first book totally stunk. The pacing was better here, and the characters had matured some.

• THE GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO VICE AND VIRTUE by Mackenzi Lee. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  This was so fun. I still struggled with the length – I complained about how long it was and someone swore it was worth it, but I don't know that it was. But I loved Monty and Percy, and will always be glad I read it.

• TO KILL A KINGDOM by Alexandra Christo. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  This Little Mermaid retelling was SO. GOOD. Ah. Addicting. So many things were not really resolved, but I'm more than fine with that because the storytelling was just that good.

• THE TRAITOR'S GAME by Jennifer A. Nielsen. ⭐️⭐️  Meh. I listened to this as an audiobook, and it was not very good, although not flat out bad. I struggled with the narrators but also felt like the plot was totally unremarkable. 

• NICE TRY, JANE SINNER by Lianne Oelke. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  It came as such a surprise to me that I loved this book as much as I did. It was so funny, earnest and at some points, really sad, but I felt like Jane Sinner was relatable in a lot of ways and a great character to root for. I loved it.

• DAUGHTER OF THE SIREN QUEEN by Tricia Lavenseller. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  The first book in this series wasn't great, so I don't really know why I decided to read the sequel, but I'm glad I did. It was much better. I also pushed myself to get past the sometimes juvenile writing and the overdescriptive prose to enjoy the siren-heavy plot, which was so much fun. 

• CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ You should read this book. Period.

• OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES by Abbi Waxman. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was my Book of the Month book for March and I held off reading it until the end of the month, although I don't really know why. It was so good, even though I don't really like contemporary fiction usually. Not as much as fantasy, at least. But it was so enjoyable! Read it! 

What I'm reading in April

On to the next batch! I want to read 12 books in April – not sure why I've decided to up the stakes for myself, but it probably has something to do with eight of the books on my April TBR being new releases / books I have to buy. *sigh*

Note: if you don't read fantasy as a genre, scroll to the bottom of the list for the contemporary books I have on my list this month. Fantasy is my primary and preferred genre – I am writing a YA fantasy novel, so I consume a lot of fantasy novels myself as a result – but I do read the occasional contemporary fiction novel, too!

• ASH PRINCESS by Laura Sebastian. Oh, my lanta, am I excited for this one. This comes out at the very end of April so I probably won't actually be able to read it, but the concept is so different and sounds so, so, so good. Not to mention the cover is gorgeous.

• THE FATES DIVIDE by Veronica Roth. I am torn about the first book in this series, CARVE THE MARK, but I want to give Roth another chance with the sequel because 1) the story does have promise and 2) I loved DIVERGENT so much.

• LOVE & WAR by Melissa de la Cruz. Hamilton fans, hello! This is the second book in a YA historical fiction series about Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler. In the first book, they're falling in love and then they get married; in this book, the war is coming to an end. SO excited for this one.

• RESTORE ME by Tahereh Mafi. So, a fun fact about me: I am always too afraid to read new books in a series that I am in love with, because I am scared that something bad will happen to one of my favorite characters, or that my ship will sink, or who knows. So, I was most excited to read this book in March... but too afraid to actually get past the first 20 or so pages. Typical. (I blame Veronica Roth for the fear that my main character will die.)

• HERO AT THE FALL by Alwyn Hamilton. This is the last book in a series I read in January and February and totally fell in love with. (Actually, I am now questioning if this is the last book or not. I thought it was. Hmm.) It's such a fun fantasy series that I totally recommend – and it's not too overwhelming.

• THE QUEENS OF INNIS LEAR by Tessa Graton. This is one of the books my book club chose to talk about this month (I'm in a YA book club on Facebook, it's awesome!!!) and the premise and cover intrigued me, and reminded me of THREE DARK CROWNS. 

• THE CITY OF BRASS by S. A. Chakraborty. I'll be honest – this has been on my TBR all year so far. And I haven't had much luck with actually reading it. But it's another book chosen for my book club this month so I'm going to give it a try.

• GATHERING DARKNESS by Morgan Rhodes. This is book #3 in the FALLING KINGDOMS series and since book #2 was so much better than book #1, I have high hopes for this one.

• ACE OF SHADES by Amanda Foody. This has been on my TBR for months. It doesn't sound like it's fantasy, actually, just a historical fiction, so I'm excited to check this out.

• LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT by Becky Albertalli. Eeeeeek back to the world of Simon. *praise hands*

• THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas. I have put this one off for too long. I have heard so much amazing (and surely worthwhile) praise for this, and it is still on the YA bestseller's list. Time to read it! 

• ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE by Gail Honeyman. I started this on Monday afternoon and wasn't loving it at first – it wasn't what I expected – but I usually love contemporary novels framed like this one, so we'll see.

• TYLER JOHNSON WAS HERE by Jay Coles. This is another book club read that I knew I needed and wanted to read the minute I heard about it. I am giving myself quite a big challenge here to read DEAR MARTIN, THE HATE U GIVE and TYLER JOHNSON WAS HERE all in one month, but it is so important and I recommend y'all give at least one of these a try, too.

• DEAR MARTIN by Nic Stone. I finished this on Sunday afternoon – it's very short, although emotionally difficult – and would recommend it to anyone. So good, but CW: A young black man is shot and killed by an off-duty cop. 

• FAR FROM THE TREE by Robin Benway. I started this back in November when I took a flight but I miraculously put it down and never picked it back up again? I am trying to make room for both new books and old books this month, so I am going to try reading this again. I enjoyed it a lot so I'm not sure why I got distracted!

• BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert. This is my audiobook for the month, and I am feeling so inspired already – and very grateful for my creativity. 

•••

What are you reading this month?

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what I'm reading in March

Time for my favorite wrapup of every month: What I read in February and what I'm reading in March! I used to have a section of books I bought in the previous month but my book buying has gotten a little out of hand so I would rather not scare any readers into thinking I've become a book hoarder.

(Although I have, probably.)

I read 11 books in February (although somewhere I have it written down that I read 12, I think I'm confused) and wasn't really excited about any of them. A few of them were letdowns for me, most were good but not great. I was hoping for greatness, especially from THE QUEEN'S RISING – which I liked, not loved! – and THE BELLES, which I just thought was not good at all. Honestly, I was probably too generous with my rating.

But I am wildly excited about the books coming out in March and the books on my TBR stack to read this month, so here's to that!

Books I read in February

(in reverse order) 

• AND I DARKEN by Kiersten White. I warmed up to this book after a little while (OK, after about 200 pages) but I had a really hard time getting into it. I stuck around because this is a time period that is pretty much completely ignored as far as historical fiction goes, not to mention YA historical fiction, and I really wanted to make it work. As the characters aged and matured, I started to care a little bit more about them and relate more to them. I loved the slow burn of Mehmed and Lada's relationship, although I kind of wanted to kick both of them in the teeth half the time, and I really began to love Radu, too, although it took a while. He can be a total pain. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

• TRAITOR TO THE THRONE by Alwyn Hamilton. This was a slow burn for me, as well, but I ended up really loving reading about Amani in enemy territory. The lands of sultans and harems and all of that always make for really fascinating stories when mixed with magic and really strong heroines, and this one was no difference. I also appreciated how very little Jin was in this book, and the entire book wasn't about Amani missing Jin. Although that is one of my top OTPs these days! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• RUINED by Amy Tintera. This was fun, although the instalove between Em and Cas threw me off a little bit – not enough, because it wasn't that bad of a case, but a little bit. It is a really unique world and Em, herself, is unique – usually, most main characters are powerful in ways they shouldn't be (they've got magical powers, some sort of other power, some unique characteristic, etc.) and with Em, she is born into a magical family and has no magic. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• THE BELLES by Dhonielle Clayton. This was the biggest disappointment of February, quite possibly of 2018. I wanted to love this book for so many reasons but for a few big ones, it fell flat. ⭐️⭐️

• A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN by Sarah J. Maas. I will never stop loving or rereading this book. (And now, listening, because I have the Audible versions!) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• YOU'LL MISS ME WHEN I'M GONE by Rachel Lynn Solomon. This was a really emotional read that I didn't expect to love as much as I did. Contemporaries are not really my jam as of late, but I loved the concept of this novel – two twins take a test at the beginning of the novel to find out if they too will develop Huntington's disease like their mother. One twin will get it, and one twin won't. It was so good. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• THE QUEEN'S RISING by Rebecca Ross. I really liked this, too, although I had a few issues that were hard to handle (mainly, everything went way too smoothly, and the main character's love interest was unsurprising but still had a little bit of an ick factor). I also expected that the main character was the queen the title refers to, so that was a bit of a letdown. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng. This was a highly recommended book that I did enjoy! I didn't think it was GREAT AMAZING GREAT like many others but contemporary fiction just isn't my jam 99.9 percent of the time. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• REIGN THE EARTH by A.C. Gaughen. For YA, this has some fairly adult content in it, but it's not graphic and is very well done. The main character marries the king of their enemy country so that her people, a desert tribe, can live in peace. She learns that she has an Elementae power, which is one thing her husband is trying to rid the world of. It gets a little crazy and hard to follow near the end, but it's good and action-packed. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

• AN ENCHANTMENT OF RAVENS by Margaret Rogerson. I wanted this to be so much more than it was. I think I am partial to the High Fae depicted by both Sarah J. Maas and Cassandra Clare, because these High Fae were just annoying. At least in THE CRUEL PRINCE, which I also struggled with, the High Fae still felt regal and powerful and everything I expect from them, just crueler and less human. The High Fae in AN ENCHANTMENT OF RAVENS were... I don't even know. And then, of course, INSTALOVE. Sigh. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

• A COURT OF MIST AND FURY by Sarah J. Maas. Read above. Still true. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Books I want to read in March

(I've since added a few more books to the list... unsurprisingly.)

• RESTORE ME.

• TO KILL A KINGDOM.

• HERO AT THE FALL.

• CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE.

• INK, IRON AND GLASS.

• NICE TRY, JANE SINNER.

• DAUGHTER OF THE SIREN QUEEN.

• AVENGED.

• RENEGADES.

• THE GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO VICE AND VIRTUE.

• LORD OF SHADOWS.

• THE TRAITOR'S GAME.

• THREE YOUNG QUEENS.

• REBEL SPRING.

And I've already finished FALLEN KINGDOMS this month, which I gave ⭐️⭐️. 

•••

What are you reading this month? Any recommendations?

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why and how I read so much

I was at a total loss as to what I should blog about this week, but inspiration always strikes in the unlikeliest of places, right? I added a person on Goodreads that I'd met in a Facebook group, and she accepted my request and then said, "Wow! You've read 21 books already this year!"

21 books is a lot of books, considering I read for fun and only review my reads casually on Goodreads, not for any sort of profit or anything. (Although I have considered it, I have a few too many side hustles right now to take on another. So, it's for fun!) But I've always been a huge reader and I can almost always be spotted with a book in hand, or in my ears, or on my phone/iPad.

But honestly, although I know I read a lot more than the average person, I don't feel like I'm reading that much at all. In fact, I feel like I don't read nearly enough – there are so many books out there that I'm missing out on! So I wanted to share the why and the how of it, for anyone who made it a 2018 resolution to read more books.

Why I read so much

This one is easy: Reading is my happy place.

I love bookstores, and I love having books in my home, and of course, I love reading books. When I was little, my parents used to take me to Barnes & Noble in Wilmington once every few weeks; I would grab a pile of books, and I would almost always finish one before we got home. (It was an hour drive back home.) 

When I started college, I was too busy to read, but I tried to make time for it when I could. No matter how busy or stressed I was, I always felt 100 times better if I just made time to sink into a book, if only for a little while.

How I read so much

I wanted to share a few of my tips for those of you who wanted to read more this year or who want to make it a goal in the future. It CAN be done.

1. Make time for it.

Sounds easy enough, right? If you schedule time for yourself to read, you are way more likely to remember. Set an alarm, or put it on your calendar. I set an alarm to get ready for bed an hour earlier than I need to be asleep, so I can spend that extra time reading in bed and winding down for the night. It's a double win!

2. Don't go anywhere without a book.

Seriously – always have something to read, and you will be amazed at how much more reading you can do! I always have an audiobook downloaded on my phone to listen to in the car; I have an ebook on my phone to scroll through while I wait in lines or in the car while Pat drives; I have a physical copy for waiting rooms or doctor's offices or lunch breaks.

3. If you don't like what you're reading, put it down.

This is why I end up reading 7-10 books at a time – I start a book, read a chapter or two and put it down if I'm not into it. That doesn't mean I don't pick it back up, because I do hate to never finish a book, but I don't force myself to read something that I'm not feeling. That's how you end up in a reading slump! Only read the books you are interested by and really enjoying – that will keep you turning pages, instead of making reading feel like a task to be completed.

4. Set a goal.

I am really goal oriented, so setting a yearly Goodreads goal as well as a daily goal of 30 minutes of reading is huge for me to make sure I make time to read! I set a goal of 100 books for 2018 (which is a lot, I know!) and aim to read for 30 minutes every day. Some people like to say they'll read so many pages every day, and some people like the reading challenges that require you to read many different kinds or genres of books. Whatever works for you – if you like goals, set some! 

•••

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what I'm reading in february

Ahhhhh, there is literally nothing like reading in a month as cold and wet and cold as January was. I read 11 books in February, and I am about halfway through listening to the audiobook version of A COURT OF MIST AND FURY by Sarah J. Maas which will mean I have read my favorite book three times.

It's already a decent amount into February and I am totally slacking on my TBR because I cannot stop listening to A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN on Audible which was not on my February TBR. Of course.

WHAT I READ IN JANUARY

• ONE DARK THRONE by KENDARE BLAKE was so much better than the first book in this series, THREE DARK CROWNS. It was totally spooky and dark, as I expected, with a few unexpected twists. I'm totally Team Katherine for the crown. 

• THE HAZEL WOOD by MELISSA ALBERT was also spooky and dark, but it dragged on for a really long time. I was OK with it. It was finish-able.

• SKY IN THE DEEP by ADRIENNE WOOD was SO. GOOD. Young adult historical fiction set in a Viking land? Oh my gosh. This was so worth reading, and the main character is fiercely wonderful, and the romance is subtle at first but worth rooting for by the end. All around, this was great great great. It's supposedly a standalone and I am heartbroken.

• ILLUMINAE by AMIE KAUFMAN & JAY KRISTOFF was a really interesting epistolary-style young adult science fiction novel. All of those things I just said mean I should've probably hated ILLUMINAE, but it was pretty enjoyable. Some of the plot dragged in the middle, but otherwise, it was a wild ride. 

• SING, UNBURIED, SING by JESMYN WARD was one of my Christmas gifts from Pat this year! I always try to read the book he got me for Christmas in January and not let it sit on my shelf for too long. Ward writes in a way that makes you feel so empathetic to her characters, even though Leonie certainly deserves none of it. I liked this, but didn't love it.

• YOUNG JANE YOUNG by GABRIELLE ZEVIN was a great takedown of slut-shaming culture and was also just an excellent read in general. It follows three generations of women – the grandmother, the mother who has an affair with a legislator when she's just a teenager and the daughter who doesn't know about her mother's past. Jane Young is such a good character and I loved this book so much despite wanting to kick Ruby in the shins.

• THE CRUEL PRINCE by HOLLY BLACK was dark, too, nothing like the High Fae I'm used to after reading Sarah J. Maas' ACOTAR, ACOMAF and ACOWAR. These High Fae were despicable and evil and dirty (which, I suppose, is how most stories depict them) and our main character Jude was so easy to hate it made it hard to care what she was up to. 

• REBEL OF THE SANDS by ALWYN HAMILTON has been on my shelf for a long time, and I finally cracked it open in January and read it in just a few sittings. I honestly pushed on not because I was enticed by the narrative but because I really wanted to read the sequel, which has a much more interesting synopsis, and I loved the characters who were introduced in the last half of the book.

• EVERLESS by SARA HOLLAND was so, so, so GOOD. I saw a few very negative reviews of EVERLESS not too long after I ordered it but honestly, that was not my experience with it at all. I loved the magic system and the plot twists and winds in a great way. Every time you think, "Ah, yes, the love interest!" or "Ah, yes, the evil villain!" things do not go exactly as planned and it is great.

• WE ARE STILL TORNADOES by MICHAEL KUN & SUSAN MULLEN was a fun epistolary-style YA fiction set in the '80s, and shoutout to Kun & Mullen for our main character attending Wake Forest University! Go ACC! I don't usually love epistolaries but this one was fun, fast and really thorough. I felt like I was there with the characters the whole way.

• TOP TEN by KATIE COTUGNO was my last read of January, and it was so fun too. I loved the style that it was told in – not chronologically, it counted down the top 10 memories of Gabby and Ryan's friendship throughout high school. It made me tear up a little and I felt so much for Gabby, who is severely anxious. I'm not wild about the way it ended but I think it was fitting for those characters!

BOOKS I WANT TO READ IN FEBRUARY

• DAUGHTER OF THE SIREN QUEEN is a sequel to a YA fantasy I read last summer and while I didn't love the main character... I am going to give it a try.
• TESS OF THE ROAD is an e-galley I received from NetGalley. I'm hoping to read it on my flight home this week!
• RADIUM GIRLS is one of two non-fiction books I'm hoping to read in February! I started it back in December and loved the story it was telling but got distracted by Christmas.
• RENEGADES is supposed to be incredible and is a huge, thick, scary book, but I have heard so many good things about Marissa Meyer and I haven't read any of her books!
• THE CROWN, VOL. 1 is the second of my non-fiction reads for February, hopefully. I LOVE this show and have always been obsessed with The Corgi Queen, and I can't wait to learn more.
• AN ENCHANTMENT OF RAVENS is another High Fae novel that sounds like a combination of ACOTAR and maybe some Cassandra Clare, less dark than THE CRUEL PRINCE I hope.
• TRAITOR TO THE THRONE is the sequel to REBEL OF THE SANDS that I spoke of above. It's also huge but I can't wait to read more.
• THE BELLES is a highly anticipated February release that looks amazing.
• YOU'LL MISS ME WHEN I'M GONE is a book I'm reading for my February YA bookclub! It's different than anything I've read recently so I'm excited to see how it goes.
• REIGN THE EARTH is another book for my February YA bookclub, and I wasn't totally into it at first... but I caved! The cover and the synopsis make it sound fascinating!
• AND I DARKEN is what I am reading right this second and... I dunno. I am disillusioned with it. The characters are horrendously hatable (it's intentional, I guess) and I would love if they fell off the face of the earth. I haven't decided if I should continue or not.
• THE QUEEN'S RISING is another highly anticipated February release that I can't wait to come out so I can order! Oh this one sounds SO up my alley.
• ROCK YOUR BUSINESS is a bookclub book for my LipSense team that I want to read, hopefully this weekend when I wind down from my trip!
• RED CLOCKS is a read from January that I didn't get to, and it was in my January Book of the Month Club box.
• LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE is a highly recommended book I got in my January Book of the Month box, too (I like to add extras!) and I can't wait to read it but somehow keep putting it off!
• CITY OF BRASS is one of the books I got in my December Book of the Month box and I've started it and read a few chapters, but it isn't hooking me quite yet. I put it aside to start AND I DARKEN and I'll come back later.

•••

What are you reading this month? Any recommendations?

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the top 10 best books I read in 2017

I can't believe it's already 2018 and I am already putting a lot of thought into what I want to read in 2018, but it is and I am! I read 72 books in 2017 – 20 more than my goal of 52, one every week! – and if you saw my New Year's resolutions, I am upping the ante and trying to read 100 books in 2018!

As far as 2017 goes, 72 is a record for me since I have started tracking my books read each year on Goodreads, and I suspect I haven't read this much in a year since I was younger and was reading much shorter, less dense books (not that my YA contemporary romances are dense in any sense). It was a fun year full of books and I kept up with a lot of new releases – usually, I miss new releases because I'm catching up on books from months or years before.

According to the ratings I gave these books on Goodreads – and my general personal preference – these are the top 10 books I read in 2017, ranked in order of greatness.

1. A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

It wouldn't be a list without giving credit to the queen, Sarah J. Maas.

I read ACOWAR in May for the first time and then in November for the second time, and it was hands-down the best book I read in 2017. (I am giving it top billing over the second book in the series, ACOMAF, which I reread in November as well, because I read it for the first time and got to experience it in 2017, whereas I read ACOMAF for the second time in 2017.)

If you like fantasy, new/young adult and romance, you will love this series. I can't wait for the next books to come out in 2018 and beyond!

2. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Seriously, these are just the best books, hands down.

I love this book because, SPOILER ALERT, there is a lot of great romance between Feyre and Rhysand, a character I was wary about in the first book but started to love in the second book as I learned more about him. Sarah J. Maas does such an amazing job with complex, detailed, layered characters that I could cry just thinking about Rhys.

3. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

I loved this newest release from John Green, who is a must-read author me whenever he comes out with something, no matter what it is. But I knew I had to read his 2017 release Turtles even if it wasn't written by John Green when I read a blurb and learned that the main character struggles with OCD and tries to maintain her friendships and her life without letting her disorder take over her world. 

The book itself is fun but dark at times, in the depths of Asa's OCD, and I loved what John Green did to tell this story. It is so worth reading.

4. All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

This might be the darkest book I have ever read – mostly, I shy away from dark things, but this came highly reviewed from my friend Kelsey and was all over the place online and on Goodreads, so I checked it out from the library and dove in.

Oh, my.

This book was an adventure, and it was dark, and I cried a lot, and I felt so many conflicting emotions. But it truly was excellent and so worth reading.

5. 180 Seconds by Jessica Park

I read this ebook courtesy of Netgalley and the publishers on a plane to who knows where, and I cried my eyes out through so many parts of it. I don't even remember the characters' names anymore, but the main character was a foster child who was finally adopted by a really amazing single man. She has one friend and spends her time isolated in her dorm room – until she stares into the eyes of a total stranger for 180 seconds and feels a spark of something.

This was such a great heart warming and heart wrenching read. 120 percent recommend.

6. Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave

My boss lent me a copy of Hello, Sunshine – I read this before I read Laura Dave's other book, Eight Hundred Grapes – and I loved it because Sunshine was living my dream. She was a fun, famous chef with cookbooks and a TV show... but she had many dark secrets. (Not part of my dream.) And when she loses it all, she starts in a restaurant kitchen to find herself a place.

It was funny, quirky and a great, quick contemporary read and didn't end in the traditional way – so I was totally pleased.

7. Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham

My love for this book was 120 percent fueled by nostalgia, and I won't apologize for it. Lauren Graham has been my queen since I watched my first episode of Gilmore Girls back in middle school – sixth grade, I believe. She can do no wrong, say no wrong and write no wrong. And Talking As Fast As I Can was no different.

I loved sinking into the pages with my favorite actress in the world, hearing her voice and listening to her stories about a TV show that shaped me when I was a little kid.

8. How To Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry

This was just so excellent. How To Find Love in a Bookshop was a warm, fuzzy hug, as far as books go. It had moments where I wanted to cry and moments where I wanted to scream, but it was the best book to read on a rainy day in the autumn, which is exactly when I read it, on some plane to somewhere.

I love stories with a handful of POVs and everyone is connected by love or friendship or hatred to one single character. In this case, it was the former owner of a bookshop, who passed away. His daughter returned home in his final days and took over his bookshop – and everyone else in their small town has their own story to tell, all going back to her father.

9. The Shark Club by Ann Kidd Taylor

This book had me at shark – and it never lost me. When I was little, I had a hefty fascination – obsession, really – with sharks, and a lot of those fun facts have stayed with me my whole life. Then when I was an intern in Charlotte after my junior year, I leaned in and joined the chaos when there were a record number of shark attacks along the North Carolina coast and we were reporting on them. My editor called me "the shark girl."

So, I didn't need anything more than sharks to get me to read The Shark Club. But it was better than expected.

10. Wonder by RJ Palacio

Everyone should read Wonder, and see the movie too. The book broke my heart and put it back together again. It was such a sweet, good, pure story and I loved the multiple POVs. I wish I had more things to say about it, but I really, really, really just think you, and your kids, and your friends' kids, and your future kids, and all of your friends and family, too, should read it. Stat.

•••

What was the best book you read in 2017?

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what I'm reading in December

Oh my gosh there have been so many awesome books released in the last few months, and I am way too behind on reading all of them and buying all of them. I usually read in the car, but we've been listening to a lot of podcasts – so I listen instead of read. And

It was a goal of mine to read five books in November – a goal I hit in October, and most months before that, too! – but I didn't quite get there.

WHAT I READ IN NOVEMBER

• A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas was a reread. My NaNoWriMo novel deals with magic (and in a way, faeries, although not completely) so I was drawn back into the world of Sarah J. Maas' characters Feyre and Rhys again, rereading two of my favorite books of all time, for inspiration and an escape from my novel. (I still cannot read the first book because it broke me so very hard.)

• A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas was a reread. Once I read ACOMAF, I knew I had to read the third and final book in the series. Also, the next book in the series, which will bridge the gap between these books and the new books, is coming out in May and the title was released – so I could not resist!

• What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton on Audible. It took me almost three months to finish all 15 hours of this on audio, but I am glad that I listened to it on audio! I won't share too much about my experience with this book because it is ~political~ but it was good and I am glad I read it.

• Wonder by R. J. Palacio.  This was such a good book, and it had me ugly crying on a flight back from Miami earlier in November. And the movie! Ah, the feels – even Pat cried during the movie. Do yourself a favor, though, and read the book first.

BOOKS I BOUGHT IN NOVEMBER

Miraculously, I did not buy that many books (that many!) in November, and I actually passed on my November Book of the Month Club subscription because none of the options spoke to me. Needless to say I did not actually

• Far from the Tree by Robin Benway.

• They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera.

• The Glass Spare by Lauren DeStefano.

• The Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs.

I got three out of four of these on Barnes & Noble's website with a great coupon (OMG, the coupons!) and stayed under my book budget for the month. You can't see me but I am dancing across the floor. Very proud of myself.

BOOKS I WANT TO READ IN DECEMBER

• Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich. This book is everywhere right now. I didn't choose it as my November Book of the Month which was a terrible mistake! It sounds so fascinating.

• Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake. I tried to read this over the summer and totally failed, but I am trying again because a new book in the series just came out – or is coming out? I am not totally sure – and I am totally in the mood for a new fantasy obsession after rereading ACOMAF and ACOWAR. I need something to get me through to May!

• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. It has been long enough with me not reading this book. It is on my shelf and it is nominated for a Goodreads award this year, and I cannot stand letting it sit there any longer!

• The Glass Spare by Lauren DeStefano. I just bought this in November so I am ready to crack it open and read! The cover is GORGEOUS and the plot is fascinating, so I hope it is as good as I am expecting it to be.

•••

What do you want to read in December? What was the last really great book you read?

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gift guide: the best books for everyone on your list

I am so happy that it is gift guide season and gift giving season. My friends will tell you that I start thinking about Christmas gifts and what the perfect gift for everyone on my list will be in September, sometimes even August if I have more on my list for Patrick for his birthday than I plan to get him at once.

Staying true to form, I made my holiday gift giving spreadsheet on November 1 and I have already knocked out a ton of shopping for this holiday season. But this year, I am a Barnes & Noble member for the first time, so I have been trying to think of as many excuses to buy books for friends and family as I can. (I cannot help myself, honestly.)

There are very few people in the world – in my opinion, anyway – who wouldn't benefit from getting a book as a gift for Christmas or any other holiday. Even for the people who swear they don't read. Patrick and I do the four-gift rule each year and get each other something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read. Picking out a book for him is always fun.

My recommendation: Go to Barnes & Noble and sign up for a membership, and then buy all of your books at once – or wait for some great coupons to come out! I love my membership (and this is not #sponsored, even!) and it has been totally worth it for myself and for gift-giving.

Disclaimer: Some of these links are affiliate links, so I will make money if you click or make a purchase!

• GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso
• YOU ARE A BADASS by Jen Sincero
• BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert
• THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A F*CK by Mark Manson
• THE LIFE CHANGING MAGIC OF NOT GIVING A F*CK by Sarah Knight

• THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS: COME AND GET IT by Ree Drummond
• CRAVINGS by Chrissy Teigen
• THE SEASONED LIFE by Ayesha Curry
• COOKING FOR JEFFREY by Ina Garten
• BRUNCH AT BOBBY'S by Bobby Flay
• TASTY: LATEST AND GREATEST by BuzzFeed's Tasty staff

*quick caveat: I haven't read all of these but relied on Goodreads' 2017 Book Awards nominees. These are nominated as some of the best books of the year!*

• THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS by Ruth Hogan
• LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng
• ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE by Gail Honeyman
• SING, UNBURIED, SING by Jesmyn Ward
• ONE DAY WE'LL ALL BE DEAD AND NONE OF THIS WILL MATTER by Scaachi Koul
• TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN by John Green

• THE BEST AMERICAN SPORTS WRITING by many authors (2017 edition)
• PLAYING THROUGH THE WHISTLE by S. L. Price
• FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS by H.G. Bissinger
• THE BLIND SIDE by Michael Lewis
• THE ART OF FIELDING by Chad Harbach
• THE LEGENDS CLUB by John Feinstein

•••

And that's my book gift guide! I am really excited for a few weeks of gift guides coming in the next few weeks as we lead up to the holidays. Who are you having the most trouble buying gifts for? I am actually having a really easy time with most of the people on my list but can't decide what would be the perfect gift for my goddaughter and her brother! They are sweet little things and I love picking out the perfect toys for them... but there is so much to choose from!

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what I'm reading in November

I did a lot of reading in October, thanks to Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon! I didn't read for a full 24 hours (more like 6 hours, total) but I did sit down and focus on my list of books that I have been wanting to read and cracked a few of them open.

I'm mixing it up a little in how I do my usual reading list post! I wanted to share not only the books I read in October but also the books I bought – because sometimes it takes me a while to actually read the books that I buy, but they're still worth sharing with you.

WHAT I READ IN OCTOBER

• HOW TO FIND LOVE IN A BOOKSHOP by Veronica Henry. I loved this sweet love story about a girl and her father's bookstore, trying to keep it alive after his death, and all of the people who were part of her late father's life. 

• WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI by Sandhya Menon. I had mixed feelings about this even though I was really thrilled about its premise, but mostly, I felt like Dimple was too frustrating and Rishi was too understanding of how frustrating she was. It was a fine read but definitely not a favorite.

• EIGHT HUNDRED GRAPES by Laura Dave. I loved HELLO SUNSHINE by Laura Dave and read it in one sitting on a plane ride, but I didn't care for this novel nearly as much. 

• TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN by John Green. Wow, wow, wow, WOW. This was quite possibly my favorite novel by John Green yet, which is saying a lot, because TFIOS was an unforgettably great read. But this was even better.

• ALL RIGHTS RESERVED by Gregory Scott Katsoulis. This could've been so much better, but I had a few big issues with it. The premise is really cool and compelling... the main character, not so much. 

• ALL THE DIRTY PARTS by Daniel Handler. I bought this because Daniel Handler is Lemony Snicket, and I knew this couldn't be bad. It was certainly weird. I wouldn't call it relatable. But the style of storytelling was unique and compelling, and I blew through it in one night. 

I also bought and read the newest Pioneer Woman cookbook – THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS: COME AND GET IT! – but I don't know how I feel about counting cookbooks in my book total.

I started WICKED LIKE A WILDFIRE and have only an hour and a half left of audio in WHAT HAPPENED, but I didn't get far enough on those to finish. Maybe I should stop making a "what I want to read" list each month because I rarely stick to it! It all depends on my mood.

BOOKS I BOUGHT IN OCTOBER

• AFTER THE ECLIPSE by Sarah Perry

• TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN by John Green

• THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS: COME AND GET IT! by Ree Drummond

• THE HIVE by Gill Hornby

• A WINDOW OPENS by Elisabeth Egan 

I skipped my Book of the Month for November because none of the book choices really stood out to me. Here's hoping December's options are a lot more interesting! 

BOOKS I WANT TO READ IN NOVEMBER

I cannot wait another second to finish WONDER by R.J. Palacio. I started it at the end of October and it is so sweet and pure and good, and I definitely have to finish it before I see the movie. 

It's also about time I finished LORD OF SHADOWS by Cassandra Clare. (Which makes me think about getting into some of the other books she's written, but I'm just not so sure. I feel like reading LADY MIDNIGHT and LOS has spoiled a lot of the other books for me. Anyone a Clare fan have advice for me?)

I also want to finish WHAT HAPPENED, GIRLS MADE OF SNOW AND GLASS, WICKED LIKE A WILDFIRE and THE COLOR PROJECT, all books I started in the last couple of months and haven't finished yet. 

So many books, so little time. 

BOOKS I WANT TO BUY IN NOVEMBER

I budget $50 each month for books which is not enough, and I always spend way more than that. But a few books that I definitely want to buy this month are...

It is a YA-filled month, that's for certain.

• FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS

• THE GLASS SPARE

• WILD BEAUTY

• SHADOW CROWN

• HER BODY AND OTHER PARTIES

• RENEGADES

• WARCROSS

• FAR FROM THE TREE

•••

What did you read in October, and what are you reading in November? What am I missing out on?

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my top five favorite books of all time

This weekend was Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon, and I tried my hardest to participate from 8 a.m. EST on Saturday morning until 7:55 a.m. on Sunday. I love any excuse to read for 24 straight hours, obviously.

[And hey – if you have a Goodreads account, I'd love to be friends! I am always looking to see what my Goodreads friends are reading and am a pretty active user, myself.]

And thinking about books made me want to share my top five favorite books of all time. I am holding myself to choosing single books, not entire series, because every series has its strengths and weaknesses (Sorry, J.K. Rowling, but I still can't stand Chamber of Secrets! Gave me nightmares as a kid and I'll never forgive it). And yes, these are ranked.

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban by J.K. Rowling

Obviously, a Harry Potter book had to top my list. I've never quite figured out why the third Harry Potter book is my easy favorite, but I've never questioned my allegiances to the Prisoner of Askaban. When I was younger, I loved Marauder-era fan fiction, and I felt like no characters could compare to Sirius Black or Remus Lupin. PoA also was the first release of a Harry Potter book that I was already a fan for, so all in all, I have a lot of emotional connections to the third Harry Potter book.

2. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

I held off on reading the first book in this series by Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses, for a very long time. I wasn't into fae, I didn't think anything more of it than it was fae and that was that. But I got an ebook deal and bought ACOTAR for $0.99 cents, and it was love at first chapter. Maas is officially the queen of storytelling. But out of the three books in the series, A Court of Mist and Fury is the most beautiful, heartbreaking, emotional story of all. ACOTAR tore me into pieces, and ACOWAR was a wild and engaging ride, but ACOMAF was so very worth reading. I am not yet brave enough to read it again, because I honestly don't know if I can handle the tears. But I keep it in a high spot on my bookshelf where I know I can reach for it whenever I'm ready.

3. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

I still haven't reread No. 2 on my list, but No. 3? This might be one of my most-read books of all time. I absolutely love This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. I love Sarah Dessen in general, but This Lullaby was the first book by Dessen that I read and the one that connected to my heart the most and the fastest. I borrowed it from a friend and loved it so much that I bought my own copy to read again and again. I love Remy, who is and always has been a really relatable character for me, and Dexter and the rest of the band were so lovable and fun. I love other Dessen books too, but This Lullaby will always have a special place in my heart. I got rid of my copy when I moved to college but I definitely think I need to buy a new one.

4. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

It's hard to choose which of the three Hunger Games books I loved most, because I read through them all in the span of a weekend when I was a junior in high school. It was a quick and fast love, and I was hooked and obsessed so quickly. But I had always been a fan of Peeta's, since the first moment we met him, and Catching Fire is an ode to Peeta and Katniss, in a lot of ways. I love how Mockingjay ended in some ways but other things I can't get over, and The Hunger Games itself is tough because I almost never choose the first book in a series as my favorite, because I am not yet emotionally attached enough to the characters. But Catching Fire was so special and introduced so many characters I grew to love.

5. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

This is the most recently read by me book out of all of the books on this list – I read it August 2016. I cried and cried and rose and sank with Yoon's beautiful Maddy and Olly, and I loved how the story was told and how the plot twisted so beautifully at the end. This is one of my favorite contemporary YA fiction novels of all time and is my favorite of Yoon's novels that I've read, too. Also, this is a great plus – the movie is excellent, too.

Honorable Mentions

• A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

• The other six books in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling 

• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

• Hello Sunshine by Laura Dave

• Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

• Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

• 180 Seconds by Jessica Park

• All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

• Room by Emma Donoghue

•••

What are your favorite books of all time? What do I need to read?

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my October reading list

Happy Friday! It's time for another reading list! I read three books in September and I'm going for five books in October. 

I also re-signed up for Book of the Month (because if you sign up now, you can get Turtles All The Way Down by John Green as an additional FREE book in your October box! Yes!) and I can't wait to get my selections for this month. I picked After the Eclipse by Sarah Perry, a true crime memoir

I picked up Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popovic at Barnes and Noble more than a month ago, but it's been on my list of books I had to read since the spring. I love to track young adult releases (I use Goodreads to do that, they have tons of lists for monthly releases) ahead of time and decide what I want to read before the book is even released, and Wicked Like a Wildfire was high up on my list. Not only is the cover gorgeous, but the storyline sounds totally unique and beautifully told to boot.

And of course I can't live without reading Turtles All the Way Down by John Green! When I saw I could get John Green's newest book for free by signing back up for Book of the Month, I was so there. I don't even know what it's about – but it doesn't matter.

I started listening to What Happened by HRC on audiobook this week, and I have the hardback as well in case I want to reread or reference anything. Without getting political, this is a truly excellent book. I have laughed, cried and cheered with Hillary, and I'm only a few hours into the 15 hours of audio. It is really worth it just to hear her talk about her favorite snacks. 

And then I saw All Rights Reserved by Gregory Scott Katsoulis pop up on a monthly release list a while back and was immediately and instantly fascinated. When I ordered a load of books from Barnes and Noble recently, it was the first one in my cart. The book is set in a world where words, phrases and even actions like kisses and hugs are trademarked. Using any of them costs you. It sounds fascinating. 

•••

What are you reading in October? What should I read next?

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3 on Friday: What I'm loving and recommending this week

I am writing this on a flight to Sacramento for a very quick, whirlwind work trip – in on Wednesday evening, back on Friday night – and am honestly so, so, so tired. I don't know about y'all but when the seasons start to change and the temperature drops, I swear that I immediately get sick. It is like clockwork. And then, depending on my work schedule and my state of mind, it will take me forever to kick whatever I pick up.

And that is where I am this week. But I'm still in the weird not-full-on-sick-as-a-dog-but-not-feeling-100-percent stage, too. So, it's been fun, and my symptoms have definitely been exacerbated by the close quarters and the recycled air of this plane.

Anyway, I have more chipper things to talk about. Here is what I am absolutely loving this week.

• Patrick and I started this great podcast by the Cincinnati Enquirer called Accused. We just finished Up and Vanished by Payne Lindsay, and I was so angry about Payne's complete lack of journalistic ethics (and his complete obsession with himself and his ideals about journalistic ethics), his long monologues about himself and how he is the reason this crime got solved and his poorly timed sponsor messages.

But Accused, which is hosted by reporter Amber Hunt, is totally good and absolutely riveting. I am totally into it. If you like true crime podcasts, this one is worth a listen. It's about the case of Elizabeth Andes, who was killed in Ohio in 1978. The police decided her boyfriend killed her, and even after he was acquitted twice, once in a criminal court and once in a civil court, the police never continued investigating her case because they were convinced that her boyfriend did it. Now, 40 years later, they're trying to figure things out so the family can have closure.

• I finished a book this week that actually brought tears to my eyes – Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index. It's not rare for me to cry – in fact, almost every single episode of Hart of Dixie makes me cry, almost every single time I watch them – but books have to be especially emotional, since I usually read in public or with Patrick, who lovingly laughs his head off when I start to cry about some work of fiction. But I really loved Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index. There were a lot of loose ends at the end that kept it from getting a 5-star rating for me – I like books to be somewhere between no loose ends are tied and every loose end is tied up – but Juniper is a great character trying to find balance while still feeling overwhelmingly guilty about her sister dying in a car wreck. She doesn't know if it's OK to go on living her life, because if she forgets about Camilla, who will remember her? It was really, really, really good. All of the characters are well-developed and the dialogue is witty and fun.

• Speaking of things that bring tears to my eyes... can we talk about what a great guilty pleasure show Hart of Dixie is? If you haven't binged this on Netflix yet, OMG. Go. Stop what you're doing. It is so worth it. I am going to see if I can download it for offline viewing on my iPad for the flight home from Sacramento. It is absolutely foolish but so delightful. Zoe Hart is the most cringe-worthy character but I swear, I cry all the time when I re-watch this show. I finished it for the third or fourth time last week and started it up again over the weekend. It's the perfect light show to watch when you just need to laugh and smile and, yes, of course, cry.

•••

What are you loving this week?

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what I'm reading in September [and what I read in August]

Happy Monday! I got back into the swing of things in August and even signed up for a library card at the Durham Public Library not too long after we got settled in. Score! I love the library and it is always absolutely packed full of people, which makes me smile. I also splurged and bought a few more books this month than I would normally. I set a budget for myself for September which should limit me to no more than 3 books – two, if they're new releases! – and the rest I read I'll get from NetGalley or the library. I do like to have some hardback copies on my shelves.

What I read in August

[My August reading list]

I did not get a lot read in August! I thought I'd read way more than this, but it's been a busy month. 

• Bad Romance by Heather Demetrios - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  - I really loved this book. I had a very strong connection to the main character, Grace, from the beginning, although I've never been through anything like her; she was strong and resilient and made it through so much, and her story of how her abusive relationship began and how she got out was very powerful. **Trigger warnings for emotional, mental and physical abuse, as well as non-consensual sex**
• Hello Sunshine by Laura Dave - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - This was a much lighter read but I thought it was great, too. I love the author's style and can't wait to read more of her work! Sunshine, the main character, was realistic without being melodramatic, despite a lot of melodrama in her life. It was really, really, really good. I am bad at reviewing things, apparently.

What I want to read in September

I picked up Wicked Like a Wildfire and A Map for Wrecked Girls at Barnes and Noble a week or two ago on a whim. I went in because I had some time to kill and came out with two new books. Typical. Both have been on my list of young adult fiction new releases I wanted to read, so I'm hoping I will have some time for these this month. 

When we were in Kansas City we went to Rainy Day Books and I scooped up The Last Laugh and How to Fall in Love in a Bookshop – one was highly recommended and one made me laugh when I read the back flap, so I brought both home with me in my carryon.

And I just placed a HUGE order from Barnes and Noble (gift cards, whoop!) for:
• Eight Hundred Grapes
• All Rights Reserved
• Mrs. Fletcher
•The Color Project
• The Hate U Give
• Everything All At Once
• All the Dirty Parts
• Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

•••

What are you reading this month? Any recommendations for me?

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what I'm reading in August

I honestly feel like I barely read at all in July – and, honestly, it was because I didn't – so I am hoping that I can get my sh*t together in August and read a little bit more. The fact that I finished my 2017 reading goal in June probably didn't help me any – I read so much that I was a little burnt out, even though I wasn't trying to get that far ahead of myself.

So, this month I am going to dive into some books that I've had on the shelf for a while. I have to sign up for my Durham County Public Library card in the next few weeks, but for now, I have a few books waiting to be cracked open and I want to give them some much deserved love and attention. 

Lord of Shadows is one I preordered when it was released a few months ago, but somehow, I have hesitated to dive too far into it! I was dying to see what happened to Emma and Julian after Lady Midnight, but I didn't get too into this one before I set it aside and didn't get back into it. I also started Words in Deep Blue when I was in Fort Worth for work, but I didn't get too far into it – this is one I picked up back in Nags Head in June, so I haven't been avoiding it for too long, but long enough.

I received a free e-edition of Girls Made of Snow and Glass on Netgalley and have been dying to read it. It's a great fantasy read that has pretty consistent reviews on Goodreads, and I know I will love it. There's nothing like young adult fantasy, in my eyes. And then The Assistants came highly reviewed from a friend and coworker of mine who reads just as voraciously as I do – and it's a paperback, so perfect for riding along in my pocketbook on my adventures.

•••

One of my flaws that I am all too aware of is that sometimes, I can be a little too goal-oriented. Meaning if I tell myself that I have to read 52 books in 2017, I will read like a maniac until I've hit that goal. And then... I don't know. Do I feel better because I met my goal, even though I meant to take the full year to do it and I finished it in June, or do I feel worse because I read shorter, less meaningful books instead of longer reads?

•••

What are you reading this month? 

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what I'm reading in July

After I blew through so many books in June, I am ready to throw it down and read just as many, if not more, in July. But I gave myself a low goal – only six books this month – because I know that every time I think I have plenty of time to read, I actually have no time to read. Funny how that works.

I grabbed Wonder and Words in Deep Blue when I was at Island Bookstore in the Outer Banks during my blissfully relaxing vacation. I have to read Wonder before the movie comes out – I know it is going to be so, so, so good! And Words in Deep Blue spoke to me because it's set in a library and, of course, the cover is so very BLUE! I read the description of When Dimple Met Rishi about a month ago and have been obsessed with it ever since. And, of course, who can ignore a Sarah Dessen new release? I can't wait for it to be my turn to check out One and For All (if the library loves me!)

One of my monthly goals for July is to spend 30 minutes each day reading. It's something I've been striving to do every day this year, but I kind of fell off the wagon in June and was reading really inconsistently. It worked for me, of course, but taking 30 minutes each day to read brings me back to center and calms down a lot of the thoughts swirling in my mind.

And here are a few other June + July + August releases I've got my eye on...

• The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

• Song of the Current

• Coming Up for Air

• Wicked Like A Wildfire

• Dress Codes for Small Towns

What are you reading this month?

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island bookstore book haul

I was just searching for bookstores in the Outer Banks the other night, and yesterday while we were trying to figure out what to do today, Patrick's mom suggested the boys go golfing and we would get manicures and pedicures. The spa was full until Friday, so we wandered over to Island Books.

 

Of course, it was lovely. I have the hardest time in bookstores – I want everything. It would be pretty difficult to get me to buy clothes or shoes at full price, but books? Well. A different story.

The store was small and messy, but in the best way. I could wander from shelf to shelf and find fiction on top of short stories on top of bestsellers on top of sci-fi on top of middle grade. Every step was a little adventure. 

And then we came home and read on the back porch with Theo.

Here's my haul!

I've looked for Alex & Eliza every chance I've had and haven't found it until now. It's been on my library list but I accidentally let it slip through my fingers when it came off of hold by accident and I didn't pick it up in time. I picked up Jonathan Unleashed and read the back cover – how dogs can change your life? You got it – and decided to add it to my pile. It was the one I knew the least about. Eligible was a book everyone was reading when it came out last year (or two years ago?), and I, of course, totally missed it then. I'm always a little bit behind. Words in Deep Blue has a beautiful cover and is a book about books. And then, Wonder. I've always wanted to read it but haven't made the time, and now I simply have to finish it before the movie comes out. Obviously! 

If you need me, I'll be catching up on this pile of books. 

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